Are you satisfied with your pay and allowances or are you having to cut back to balance your household budget?
The 2026 Pay Questionnaire run by the three Families Federations offers Service personnel and families a chance to tell us how pay, allowances and wider financial pressures affect everyday life so we can take that evidence to the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB).
In June the Government announced a 3.6 per cent pay rise for Service personnel. It followed recommendations from the AFPRB, which heard from AFF and the Naval and RAF Families Federations highlighting the financial impact of Service life on military families.
A whole family approach
Evidence from our 2025 questionnaire showed a mixed picture. Personnel felt their pay had not kept pace with inflation and didn’t reflect the hours they worked. More than 90 per cent of respondents told us they had cut spending on groceries, leisure or travel.
Satisfaction with overall family finances increased slightly on 2024. But the percentage of personnel who were satisfied with their pay dropped.
The number of respondents who sought external help for financial difficulties increased from nine per cent to 12 per cent. In the Private to Corporal rank bracket the figure rose from 21 per cent to 25 per cent.
Spousal employment remains one of the biggest challenges, with frequent moves disrupting careers and reducing earning potential. High childcare costs and the continuing rise in the cost of living compound financial pressures, often making dual incomes essential while simultaneously making them harder to achieve.
Evidence from the questionnaire supports the Families Federations’ work with the three Services, MOD and other Government departments to ensure families’ experiences of are reflected in discussions about pay, allowances and the wider support needed to sustain military life.
The 2026 Pay Questionnaire opened on 20 July. And we need your evidence to be able to continue to provide an accurate picture of your financial experience to those who can make meaningful change.
Make your voice heard
Service personnel and families’ input into the questionnaire will directly inform the AFPRB.
The questionnaire is being run in collaboration with the Naval and RAF Families Federations and closes on 19 September.
To find out more, visit aff.org.uk
